Method and device for road user interaction

Abstract

A method for interaction between a first road user and a second road user wherein the first road user sends a driving maneuver request into the surroundings of the first road user; the second road user receives a request signal indicative of the driving maneuver request; the second road user accepts the driving maneuver request; acceptance of the driving maneuver request is signaled to the first road user; and driving maneuver recommendations determined based on the driving maneuver request are signaled to the first road user and/or to the second road user.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for interaction between a first road user and a second road user, the method comprising:
 transmitting a driving maneuver request from the first road user into its surrounding environment; 
 receiving a request signal indicative of the driving maneuver request by the second road user; 
 accepting the driving maneuver request by the second road user; 
 signaling the acceptance of the driving maneuver request to the first road user; and 
 signaling a respective driving maneuver recommendation for completing the accepted driving maneuver request to the first road user and/or to the second road user, 
 wherein, while carrying out respective driving maneuvers by the first road user and/or the second road user according to the request and/or the driving maneuver recommendation, the method further comprises: 
 displaying a visual representation of road geometries in the surrounding environment of the first and/or second road user to the first and/or second road user; and 
 displaying visual representations of both the first and second road users in their relative orientations on the visual representation of the road geometries to the first and/or the second road user; and/or 
 displaying a visual representation of the driving maneuver recommendation on the visual representation of the road geometries to the first and/or second road user. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the respective driving maneuver recommendation is determined based on a position and/or a speed and/or an acceleration and/or a trajectory of at least one of the road users and/or a road geometry. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising signaling whether or not a driving maneuver is possible to the first road user and/or the second road user. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, from one of the road users, its own position and/or its own future driving maneuver and/or its own driving state and/or its own driving light states to the respective other road user. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reception of the driving maneuver request comprises displaying a visual representation of the driving maneuver request on a display panel for the second road user. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the acceptance of the driving maneuver request by the second road user comprises manually actuating a switching mechanism and/or a voice input and/or actuating a brake lever and/or automatic acceptance by an automatic drive controller. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the acceptance of the driving maneuver request by the second road user comprises transmitting a response signal to the first road user. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein signaling the acceptance of the driving maneuver request comprises signaling and/or visualizing the acceptance and/or displaying the direction of the second road user to the first road user. 
     
     
       9. A device for a first road user for interacting with a second road user, the device comprising:
 a transmitter configured to transmit a driving maneuver request from the first road user into its surrounding environment; 
 a display unit configured to signal an acceptance of the driving maneuver request to the first road user in response to the second road user receiving a request signal indicative of the driving maneuver request and accepting the driving maneuver request, wherein a driving maneuver recommendation for completing the accepted driving maneuver request is signaled to the first road user on the display unit, 
 wherein, while carrying out respective driving maneuvers by the first road user and/or the second road user according to the request and/or the driving maneuver recommendation, the display unit is configured to: 
 display a visual representation of road geometries in the surrounding environment of the first road user to the first road user; and 
 display visual representations of both the first and second road users in their relative orientations on the visual representation of the road geometries to the first road user; and/or 
 display a visual representation of the driving maneuver recommendation on the visual representation of the road geometries to the first road user. 
 
     
     
       10. The device of  claim 9 , wherein the driving maneuver recommendation is determined based on a position and/or a speed and/or an acceleration and/or a trajectory of at least one of the road users and/or a road geometry. 
     
     
       11. The device of  claim 9 , wherein whether or not a driving maneuver is possible is signaled on the display unit to the first road user. 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 9 , wherein the device transmits from the first road user its position and/or its future driving maneuver and/or its driving state and/or its driving light states to the second road user. 
     
     
       13. The device of  claim 9 , wherein the reception of the driving maneuver request includes displaying a visual representation of the driving maneuver request on a display unit for the second road user. 
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 9 , wherein the acceptance of the driving maneuver request by the second road user comprises manually actuating a switching mechanism and/or a voice input and/or actuating a brake lever and/or automatic acceptance by an automatic drive controller. 
     
     
       15. The device of  claim 9 , wherein the acceptance of the driving maneuver request by the second road user comprises transmitting a response signal to the first road user. 
     
     
       16. The device of  claim 9 , wherein the acceptance of the driving maneuver request comprises signaling and/or visualizing the acceptance and/or displaying the direction of the second road user to the first road user.